Cultural Geography of the Jats of the Upper Doab, India. Anath Bandhu Mukerji Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1960 Cultural Geography of the Jats of the Upper Doab, India. Anath Bandhu Mukerji Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Mukerji, Anath Bandhu, "Cultural Geography of the Jats of the Upper Doab, India." (1960). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 598. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/598 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE JATS OF THE UPPER DQAB, INDIA A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Geography and Anthropology by Anath Bandhu Muker ji B.A. Allahabad University, 1949 M.A. Allahabad University, 1951 June, I960 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Individual acknowledgement to many persons who have, di rectly or indirectly, helped the writer in India and in United States is not possible; although the writer sincerely desires to make it. The idea of a human geography of the Jats as proposed by the writer was strongly supported at the very beginning by Dr. G. R. Gayre, formerly Professor of Anthropo-Geography at the University of Saugor, M. P. , India. In the preparation of the preliminary syn opsis and initial thinking on the subject able guidance was constantly given by Dr. P. K. Sircar, Reader in Geography and African Studies, Delhi University. Professor N. K. Bose, Reader in Anthropo- * Geography, Calcutta University, inspired and instructed the writer through his scholarly and enthusiastic discussions. Many photo graphs and unpublished data were supplied by the writer's brother, Mr. J. B. Mukerji, and father -in-law, Dr. A. N. Khanna. To the constant companions in the field, M essrs. R. N. Tikka, B. Singh, and S. Singh, this work is the fulfilment of a promise that their "love's labor will not be lost". Additional concepts and methods of cultural geography were learned by the writer in the Department of Geography and Anthropology, Louisiana State University. Each member of the staff led the writer on the path of his specialization to the core of geography as a science of landscape. The first draft was written under the guidance of Dr. F. B. Kniffen. Later, the burden of guidance fell on Dr. W. G. Haag whose encouraging and critical guidance helped the writer to give a better, final shape to the dissertation. Dr. R. C. West gave suggestions which effected a marked improvement in the maps and a substantial addition to the section on the vegetation of the Upper Doab. Dr. J. H. Vann and Dr. W. G. Mclntire suggested lines of improve ments which resulted in a more elaborate and scientific discussion of the geomorphology of the Upper Doab. The writer is greatly indebted to all the members of the staff and to Mr. Chan Lee for his informal and fruitful discussions. iii TABLE OF C ONTENTS PAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................ i i - i i i LIST OF M A PS ................................................................................................. v iii LIST OF PLATES ........................................................................................... ix -x i LIST OF FIGURES . .............................................................................. xii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................. x iii ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................... x iv -x v i INTRODUCTION............................................................................................ 1-14 Present Distribution of the Jats, Previous Investigations, Objects of the Present Study, Approach, Organization of the Material, Sources of the Material CHAPTERS I. ORIGIN AND MIGRATION OF THE JA T S.............................. 15-34 Origin, Migration, First Stage, Second Stage, Third Stage II. PHYSICAL SETTING OF THE UPPER DOAB .... 35-101 Physiographic F eatu res ................................................ 37-54 The Jamuna Flood Plain, The Ganga Flood Plain, The Pleistocene Terrace, Structure, Drainage Pattern, Bhur C lim a te ....................................................................................... 54-68 Temperature, Humidity, Monsoons, Air M asses, Precipitation iv TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) PAGE c h a p t e r s S o i l s................................................................................................ 68-76 Bangar Soils, Khadar Soils, Dakar Soils, Bhur Soils, Kallar Soils V e g e ta tio n ...................................................................................... 7 6-97 Past Vegetation, Present Vegetation, Forest, Woodlands, Grass Communities Wild A nim als ......................................................................... 97-101 III. JAT VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS IN THE UPPER DOAB . ............................................................... 102-137 Past Morphology................................................. 102-104 Present M orphology................................................................104-105 Landscape Expressions of Social Features . 105-113 Family Blocks, Caste Neighbourhoods, Relict Features, Features of Worship, Water Features, Commercial Core, Internal Road System Site and Size of Jat Settlem ents ........................................113-118 Contact-Point Settlements, Central Pleistocene Terrace Settlements, Site Shifting Of Jat Settlements, Size F unctions of Jat S e ttle m e n ts ..................................................118-119 Historical Development................................. 119-125 Three-Tier Structure, Nucleated Settlement Factors of Siting and N ucleation ........................................125-135 Life Cycle of a Jat Settlem ent .............................................135-137 Formative, Resultant Patterns, Recent Changes IV. JAT HOUSES............................................................................................. 138-167 Building M aterials .....................................................................138-140 Construction of the H ouse............................ 140-143 Foundation, Walls, Roof, Floor Types of Buildings............................ 143-150 v TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) PAGE CHAPTERS Ghair, Haveli, Garhi Functions of Buildings . ........................................150-154 Aspects of Buildings................................................................. 154-155 Evolution of the Jat H ouse...................................................... 155-158 Aryan Antecedents of the Jat House................................... 158-164 Rajput Antecedents of the Jat House...................................164-167 V. JAT FIELD PATTERN..................................................................... 168-186 D i k e s ..................................................................................................168-175 Origin, Function Form and Evolution of the Fields........................................175-179 Form and Evolution of the H oldings.................................179-181 Evolution of the Field P attern.............................................181-186 VI. ECONOMY OF THE JATS 187-317 Patterns of Land U se ................................................................ 187-194 Agricultural Implements and P ractices .................... 194-236 I m p le m e n t s ........................................... 194-204 Plough, Leveling Implements, Hoe, Sickle, Winnowing Implements, Motor Tractors T e c h n i q u e s .............................................................................. 204-236 Ploughing, Leveling, Sowing, W eeding. Irrigation, Factors affecting the Use of Irrigation, Manures, Reaping, Threshing, Storing, Double Cropping, Mixed Cropping, Rotation of Crops C rops .................................................................... 236-291 Cropping Pattern .................................................................... 236-242 Food and Food C rops........................................................... 242-282 Jat D i e t ....................................................................................... 242-251 Food C r o p.............................................................................. s 251-282 S t a r c h e s ................................................................................... 251-264 Wheat, Maize, Rice S u g a r ............................................................................................ 264-273 Sugar Cane vi TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) PAGE CHAPTERS O i l ................................................................................................. 273-275 Indian Colza, Linseed P r o te in s.................................. ................................................ 275-282 Field Pea, Cow Pea, Pigeon Pea, Chick Pea, Phaseolus .radiatus, Green Gram, Aconite- Leaved Kidney Bean Fodder Crops.............................................................................. 282-287 Gwar, Barley, Oats, Pearl or Cat-Tail